Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-08
Gladstone and TennysOn.

From the New York Tribune.
IL Is Interesting 10 see with what differing Der.
ceptions Gladstane and Tennyson review thsir
past The former sees in the fifty years OF the
Victorian era a steady march OF progress and i'm
proyement. The latter nnds Ia the results OF this
hali-century matter for little else than ret ana
reproor. or course the radical divergence in the
views OF two such acute and competent observers
must be attributed Ia part To ienperamentaI qif-
ferenceS. Tennyson has a prcscf1ptiye right In
his character oI poet, 10 the sad yaticinatiye
humOr, and IL is mistake 10 say that he is now
exhibiting gloomy Torebodings Tor the rirst time.
1ne Original "lOCASicy Hall' aboundS with sombre
questionlngs OF the current tendencies and though
Its prevailing tone Is hopeful, IL cannot be called
opllIllSlic me philosophy OF 'ln Memorfam,- or
The Two Voices" OF maud, Y" and OF many other
OF The Laureates productions, Is melancholy and
dubious OF the future, II hot pesslmlstic. Even
among nus earliest poems such as ''Lucretius"
the same tone Is heard IL has been present as au
accompaniment TO MS more hopeful poems, sound.
ins ntIu!ly piaintive minor key.
ne temperament OF Gladstone is sangline. All
his NE he mas been buoyed up by an eAubeTant Va.
tally, while the absorption or his energies IA
practical legislation has trained him TO ConCret.
and definite Views OF lie. IL Is TO be observed,
however, that his outlook has nothing In common
With the ldureates. Inc statesman finds no dilll-
culty IN catalvsulng series OF measures designed
10 amenorate me condition OF the poor 70 facfli-
tate The spread oI knowledge and the freedom of
delberation, 10 protect the nottingham against
the greed or Indifference OF his eUIpioyer 10 pro-
mote education, 10 relieve the taxpayer 10 abolish
OH abuses, 10 secure purity IA the public service
t. not 10 be supposed Jnat Tennys0n would dispute
any of The points made by the eX-premier IN regard
, 10 material progress he might Indeed poinI 10
the recognition oI this Kind Of progress In his
poems. but ne would probably defend himself
from The change OF mlsrepresenLing his age by as
Serting that lac and Gladstone are not discussing
the same order oil things. Tae truth perhaps lies
between The Two conflicting views, neither or
which Is wholly right Wholly wrong. Glad
stones saze Is Ilxed upon the practical material
prosperity or Lngland, proof OF the growth OF
which liz the last naI century Is easy. Tenay son
for ais part perceiVes only tue signs aud evidences
or spiritual decadence, and these may very well
exist with all the advances VI which Gladstone
boasts.
The poet feels the spread OF scepticism, OF
materfhilsn, OF PhiliStinism. He believes that
the very plethora OF wealth which Ii one OF the
signs oI the times may be means or reJrogressiou
Father than OF Development; that the Increase OF
luxury and the compieAity OF modern wants are
not necessarily wofhing together for good: that
the decay or Iailh the growth OF cynicisln, the
augmentation OF all carnai and Sensuous pleasures
ana tndulgences, Indicate a general deg adatiOn;
and that All this baeksndlng may proceed In
parallels with an external appearance OF flourish
ing prosperity. OF course Is Is open TO any TO
say that Jhls is morbid fantastic way or look
Ing at Things and that Mr. GlGdstone's view Is the
sound one. That, however, Is Lot the point In
question. The point In question Is whether tho
poet and tine statesman not In danger OF re-
enactfng the parable oI the Two knights who
quarreled over the description or certain shield,
only 10 ma, When Jney had wounded one another
10 death, mat Ootn We're right ana DOtn wrong,
lnasInucn as the shield lad two faces, one VI
which only had been seen by each knight.
SAN FRANCISCO RAILROADS THREATENED BY DYN-
AaITERs--Ine san FRANCISCO examiner published
yesterday letter ITO.n the alleged authors vi the
dynamite explosion Oh the cable road "Wednesday
night. The letter states that the persons respoIl-
size Tor the ca ploSl0n are members or powerful
Organization which Originated Ia Chicago directly
after the hay market riots, ana concludes 10y
threatening "a series oI nanite explosions IL the
roads persist In refusing the Carmen their just
rights"